Articles

A Deacon Without Vestments

  The Deacon is not for the altar, he is there for service. – Pope Francis It is well known that a deacon is called to the ministry of the word, of the altar, and of charity. But there can sometimes arise the danger or t … [Read more...]

The Mass and the Ascension

Making Present the Entire Paschal Mystery

“In the Eucharist and in all the sacraments we are guaranteed the possibility of encountering the Lord Jesus and of having the power of his Paschal Mystery reach us.”[1. Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter on the Liturgical Formation of the Peo … [Read more...]

The Gift in Commercial Relationships

In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, the late Pope Benedict XVI asked his sons and daughters to consider the following question: “The greatest challenge before us (…) is to demonstrate, in thinking and behavior (…) that in commercial rela … [Read more...]

Listening, Suffering, and the Young and the Old

In the Book of Tobit we have, in the prayers of Tobit and Sarah (Tobit, 3:1–6, 11–15), the young and the old who are so distressed that they want to die: that they want God to take their life from them or help them — but God helps both of th … [Read more...]

Faith in the Gospel of John as the Content of Truth

Πίστ- Root Words and Theological Exegesis

Note: This article originated as a paper in the doctoral seminar on the Gospel of John taught by Dr. Daniel Lendman at Ave Maria University in Florida. The theme of faith in the Gospel of John is deceptive. It is more important than the … [Read more...]

The Liturgical Reform and the Jews

Revisiting the Memorandum of the American Jewish Committee

In 1961, the American Jewish Committee composed a document entitled “Anti-Jewish Elements in Catholic Liturgy: A Memorandum to the Secretariat for Christian Unity” (hereafter “the Memorandum”);[1. The American Jewish Committee, “Anti-Jewish … [Read more...]

Servants of the Divine Will

New Covenant Levites Standing in Unshadowed Light

Therefore, dearest friends, standing in the awesome glory of this holy light, invoke with me, I ask you, the mercy of God almighty, that he, who has been pleased to number me, though unworthy, among the Levites, may pour … [Read more...]

The Divine Mercy Devotion’s Obscure Birthplace

Having visited Poland recently, I had the opportunity to go to a lesser-known place connected with the Divine Mercy: the city of Płock (pronounced “Powotsk”), about two hours north of Warsaw. Those interested in the story of the Divine Merc … [Read more...]

Via Pulchritudinis: On the Relationship Between Beauty and Healing in Pastoral Practice

In 2006, the Pontifical Council for Culture in its plenary assembly recorded the importance of “via pulchritudinis” (the way of beauty) for the transmission of faith in Christ through a pastoral approach. In doing so the Council called to at … [Read more...]

Words Like Straw: A Eulogy on St. Thomas Aquinas

Objection 1 – Who am I to preach in honor of the one whose mouth poured forth sweet words of wisdom? I am not worthy to preach in honor of the master who climbed the mountain of God and whose words flowed forth like Jeremiah’s “many waters” … [Read more...]

Lusting for Love: Flirtations with the Kiss of Death

The title of this article is intended to have a double meaning. On the one hand, the basic meaning of “Lusting for Love” is an expression of how desperately we, as human beings, long to love others deeply, just as we long to be loved by oth … [Read more...]

To Strengthen Our Catholic Ethos Through Reconciliation

Ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, which means a way of life that is consistent with shared fundamental traits, such as behaviors, habits, attitudes and beliefs that guide a particular body of people toward making the best choices and … [Read more...]

An Ancient Near-Eastern Understanding of Matthew 5:13 and the Salt of the Earth

Matthew 5:13 is one of the most well-known and popular passages in Scripture. Salt of the earth is a phrase in common usage in the English language, but the phrase’s meaning now has deviated from the original context in which Jesus first s … [Read more...]

On What the Ordinary Has to Offer

“Oh, you must think there is more,” said the spiritual director to his directee. “More?” the directee responded. “More what?” “More than ordinary life,” indicated the director. The directee had just relayed the disarray he felt every time he … [Read more...]

Lay Members of Religious Orders

On January 28, 2023, I was blessed to be received into a fraternity of the Lay Dominicans, Eastern Province, USA. I am, thanks be to God, a member of the Order of St. Dominic, while also remaining in the lay state in the world. Many readers … [Read more...]